


Darts of Pleasure

by atiqah_ackerman



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: F/M, Shy Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Yandere Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-16 08:49:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29822418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/atiqah_ackerman/pseuds/atiqah_ackerman
Summary: Levi laid on his back, fast asleep when his senses tingled. He slowly opened his eyes and found Sophie nervously kneeling on him, breathing heavily with each of her legs straddling him in an attempt to pin him down while holding a knife near his throat. Levi remained calm, he tried to read Sophie's face that showed more fear than he should be considering he was being pinned down with a knife to his throat. Hange had warned him about their relationship, while she is lovely, she is still a Marleyan."Go on," Levi said, his face stoic. He wondered if he will see a different side of Sophie that night, the real Sophie, a Marleyan spy who must be good at what she does for making a fool out of Levi. Sophie stayed silent, her lips pursed, she grazed the knife deeper against his skin as if assuring him she would not hesitate to do so. Growing impatient Levi provoked her, "Just finish me off already.""Aren't you afraid?" Sophie's voice croaked. Gratitude washed over him, he knew what they felt for each other was real, that he was correct in judging her character.
Relationships: Levi Ackerman & Original Character(s), Levi Ackerman & Original Female Character(s), Levi Ackerman/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 24





	1. First Impressions

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Note:  
> The story kicks off from the timeline of the anime's season 4 episode 1~ That being said I have yet to read the manga, but not in the dark of the episodes to come as I have been spoiled, but not specifically. Just writing on a whim. I feel my writing is amateur-ish at best hence any feedback is very much welcomed.

Sophie Poulain had just turned twenty when her native village was conquered by the Marleyan army. Due to the ongoing war, Marley had a policy where each family must contribute a family member to the military and as she was an only child, she begrudgingly ended up in the Marley Navy. Though her hand-on-hand combat skills were far from perfect, it was her charisma and sniping skills that resulted in her being courted by Yelena to join the Anti-Marleyan Volunteers. While hesitant, Sophie figured it was the only option for her to contribute in stopping the war, keeping a slim chance of going back home to her family and also to meet the infamous Eldians of the Paradis Island.

It had been almost three months since her naval ship had been declared gone whilst in actuality they had been cooperating closely with the Paradis people, sharing their technological advancement and working together closely yet it was evident the distrust level was still there. Initially, Sophie had reservations about the Eldians of Paradis, but it was in her nature to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. She still remembered when Eren Yeager in his titan form picked up their naval ship, Yelena shooting the officer, their introduction to the Survey Corps members, and also when she first met Humanity's Strongest Soldier.

Their leader Zeke Yeager had mentioned about him, Levi Ackerman, and Sophie found him to be intriguing. The first time he met Levi was when he made a poor attempt of hiding the blade he was holding behind Niccolo when both Hange and him forced Niccolo to cooperate and perform a skit but alas, Niccolo was no snitch. Sophie noticed his dark raven hair styled in an undercut, piercing grey eyes with noticeable dark circles, deep voice, and a mysterious aura.

For Levi, he vividly remembered his first encounter with Sophie. The petite soldier stood next to both Yelena and Onyankopon, she looked anxious in their first group meeting together in the tent. Under the moonlight, he could see little more than her silhouette, especially her eyes--- fierce brown emeralds, the kind of eyes that pulled you in.

The next time they met was when as a welcoming gesture for their new alliance, the Anti-Marleyan Volunteers proposed for the Survey Corps to taste their local cuisine, and coincidentally both Sophie and Niccolo were equally amazing chefs. During the planned special lunch event, Hange, Levi, and the rest of his squad gathered at the make-shift kitchen near the beach with both Sophie and Niccolo serving them their local cuisine which mostly consisted of seafood. When the whole commotion unfolded in which Sasha ended up crying in joy at the taste of the Lobster Thermidor dish, both Jean and Connie following through stuffing their face with the dishes, Levi found himself distracted with the hot afternoon sunlight beaming on Sophie's face, a peachy glow due to the beach waves outside.

Being in her presence that day, the area seemed full of sweet sticky liquid, honey nearly light as air as Levi steadied himself to breathe. Time slowed down, and in his ear, he felt the ringing of the cosmic into a vacuum space. Every second felt eternal as he basked in the beauty that is Sophie when for no apparent reason, she turned her gaze to meet his. He could not understand the emotions he felt, all he could focus on was her dark brown eyes, her pulpy peach lips, her lustrous raven hair teased into a messy bun, her cheek with its candy-pink translucent hue, and her curly lashes framing her dark brown irises as it lifted him on a sea wave just as it hit the nearby rocks and he felt suspended. For the eternity that Sophie Poulain looked at him, Levi gazed back nervously and felt desires he thought were long gone since his hormonal teenage years.

They didn't exchange a single word that afternoon, even as Sophie timidly presented to him the dish she specially cooked for him and Hange, a signature Steak, Mashed Potatoes & Asparagus dish. They nodded politely to each other to counter their lack of verbal exchange. Levi didn't know the first step in pursuing her because the emotion of lust was foreign to him. Navigating through life with the loss of his mother and later his close friends, Farlan and Isabel, to be abandoned by Kenny, he swore to never become emotionally attached to anyone. He figured the lesser people he let in, the less it would hurt if he lost them. But little by little, from Hange and his squad members who got along well with both Sophie and Niccolo, Levi managed to learn of her quirks and personality, though he had to be discreet in his questions in order to avoid provoking any further inquiries.

In good faith, Hange proposed that the Anti-Marleyan Volunteers should eat with the other Paradis soldiers in the mess hall. It was an attempt by Hange to humanize the Anti-Marleyan volunteers, to portray them in a different light despite of the sudden new revelation of life and civilization outside the walls to the other Paradis military members. She had hoped this would facilitate the bonding between the soldiers and foster knowledge transfer amongst them. In the weeks that followed, Levi looked forward to eat at the mess halls hoping for a glimpse of Sophie to appear, the most naked person with clothes on he had ever seen. Even in a pair of sensible military shoes, she pranced around as though she was walking barefoot on a sunny hill, and the fitted white button-up blouse and fitted slacks she wore only increased her charm in Levi's eyes. In her signature black slacks her thighs rubbed together, pulsating, and there was always one messy detail that would drive him crazy: a wine stain on her sleeves, an untucked shirttail, her bangs drenched in sweat tucked messily behind her ears. When she smiled, her mouth would show too many teeth but at night he found himself dreamed of being bitten by each one.

For Levi, apart from the occasional meetings with Yelena and Onyankopon, the mess halls would be the place where he'd hope to bump into her and strike a conversation but the opportunity never came. Instead, Levi would merely gaze discreetly towards her general direction, and he'd notice small friendly gestures exchanged between both Sophie and Niccolo and it would upset him. Levi would notice how she would nudge her elbow to Niccolo's ribs with her lower lip bit as she hit the punch line of her joke, the cute pout she'd flash to him with her eyebrows wriggling to tease him, her high-pitched laugh followed by her signature incessant slap on his arms when they exchanged jokes only they would know and understand, and it filled Levi with immense jealousy.

Levi did not understand how she had bewitched him, nor why having bumped awkwardly into each other multiple times at the mess halls she acted as if he was invisible. In his desperate moods, Levi would ask the mirror in his bathroom why the only girl he was crazy about was the only girl not crazy about him.


	2. Reel Her In

Dinner in the mess hall was meatloaf, a gravy-soaked concoction that did not taste like meat or resemble a loaf, a bowl of mushroom soup, and garlic bread. Levi had speared a slice of meat with his fork and raised them to just below his chin, but then seemed to forget about them as his gaze fell to Sophie. He'd forgotten he was eating, he had yet taken a single bite of his dinner until the meatloaf nearly slides off the fork. Listening to Hange talk on and on while stealing glances to Sophie, he'd watched full of curiously at her interacting with the other Marleyan soldiers.

When Hange would pause in her monologue, she would raise her eyebrows at his fork and lifted her chin suggesting him to take a bite. Levi would merely sigh, rolled his eyes, shoveled them in his mouth and chewed with an expression asking: Why do humans go through the dreary process of digesting food? Hange knew her friend well, she noticed his poor attempt of concealing his glances at the Marleyan table. She crossed her arms beneath her chest and kicked at his shin playfully to get his attention.

"What?" Levi asked.

"You got to reel her in you know, be subtle about it." Hange suddenly said to encourage him, her lips curved into a smile. "It's that bit of nuance you know." Hange began to share her input on the matters of love with a monotonous Levi who stayed silent throughout. Hange insisted that he should strike a conversation with her but talk only about the most mundane things, the weather, the local Marleyan cuisine and culture, anything that would give him an opportunity to communicate while utilizing the silent but deadly language of eye contact.

Levi's face stayed stoic. The truth was, other boys were not as powerful as Levi when it comes down to fighting titans with the ODM gears and hand-on-hand combat, but they were more skillful at asking girls out because what they lacked had taught them persistence. Whereas Levi had never even entertained the infatuation from any pursuer. Levi's skills with the ODM gears had left him dry on tricks, and in misery, he merely sighed at Hange and her advice.

"Levi!" Hange shrieked, awakening him to his senses.

"Yes," Levi replied, swirling the mushroom soup with the garlic bread.

"Wow, you must really like her huh? She got you all tongue-tied," Hange moved her eyebrows playfully, then made a quick glance to Sophie. _Oh fuck_ , Levi thought to himself, even Hange has started to notice how wary he is around the mess halls.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Levi announced, hissing almost.

"Levi, if you want to _befriend_ her, you've got to start by actually talking to her. I think you know what you've got to do," Hange ventured, teasingly taking a slice of his garlic bread she'd hope he won't notice.

"Yeah," Levi looked down to his bowl of mushroom soup, his lips pursed. Hange merely looked to his friend, speechless, indeed Levi was a man of few words. Most people would not know but Levi was a shy person. To even talk to someone he was mildly attracted to would require a lot of courage and planning on his part.

Somehow the stars aligned for Levi that night and the opportunity arose, both Eren and Jean started to shout and wrestle each other in the middle of the mess hall. Jean aimed for a body slam in the midsection whereas Eren went for the crazed punch to the head. At the last moment, Jean reached one hand out and hit Eren by the jaw. Eren spit out the blood and with his leg, swept Jean's feet out from under him. As expected of the other soldiers, both Paradis and Marleyan started to form a circle between the two and cheered them on.

Any other day, Levi would intervene and stop the fight. But that night, he noticed Sophie was away from her squad trying to catch a glimpse of the fight and he figured it was the best opportunity to approach her. Levi stood up and lingered nearby, planning meticulously in his head how to execute his plan. Taking a deep breath, he left his seat and walked to the cheering crowd. Three times his heart jumped at the decoys of other petite girls he walked past.

A few more stride and he saw Sophie on her tip-toes, her eyebrows furrowed curiously to view the fight. Levi found himself staring at her with a concentration so focused everyone else ceased to exist. A fuzzy aura surrounded her, probably due to so much blood draining out of Levi's head. He looked back to his table at Hange knowing she was observing his move, indeed Hange grinned at him while raising her cup of beer to wish him luck.

Levi took a deep breath and walked towards her, his pace slowing as he halted to a stop beside her. Sophie was unaware of Levi and was more enamored of the ongoing action, to her it was Eren, the founding and attack titan performing hand-on-hand combat hence it was a big deal even if everything was in good fun. Even though Levi avoided looking at her, it was no use, he felt Sophie beside him, registered her body temperature, heartbeat and respiration rate. He also noticed hay sticking by the bottom hem of her grey slack, she must have been to the stable that day.

Right then it happened, Jean tried to finish off with a body punch that entered cartoonishly far into Eren's gut. The room rippled louder with laughter and cheering. It was then that Sophie noticed the figure beside him, Levi Ackerman, with a stoic monotonous face, he looked clearly unamused with the ongoing commotion. She swallowed a lump on her throat, nervous at how she ended up bumping shoulders with the infamous Captain Levi.

He suddenly leaned into her and said, "They're both morons."

In response, she merely nodded her mouth agape. He is an Ackerman, the clan Zeke had warned about, and she was in awe. But Levi, who was very much curious leaned in and pointed to her slack, "You got hay on you."

"Hay? Oh, this?" Sophie nervously replied, looking down to her gray slack. "Oh yeah, I visited the stable earlier." The light from the lamps of the mess hall gathered in the dark waves of her loose hair, her cheeks were bright pink and Levi was transfixed.

Levi waited for the cheering to peak before he spoke again, "You like to visit the stables?" Realizing how stupid his attempt was at forming a basic sentence he quickly added, "I mean horses--- You like horses?"

"Yes," Sophie replied, nervously tucking her hair behind her ear. "The horses here in Paradis are super friendly, bitey though."

"Yeah our horses tend to bite," Levi smacked his lips nervously. "In the Marleyan military do you horse ride?" He noticed Sophie's cheeks were reddening, he could smell her next to him, her hair like lavender and the smell of her skin like grapefruit.

The crowd was getting louder and it was harder for them to listen to one another. Leaning in, closer than Levi would ever imagine, Sophie whispered to him her breath hitting his earlobes, "Unfortunately there's no horse riding in the Marleyan navy, but I use to back in my hometown. I live in the countryside back home."

"Oh wow, ok!" Levi blurted out, a little too eagerly. They both smiled nervously in that small amount of time, but nerves got the best of him and suddenly Levi turned around from Sophie and simply muttered, "Yeah well, see you around."

Confused at his sudden reaction, Sophie merely waved him goodbye and stood where she was, overthinking if she had caused Levi to leave. She had heard of Levi's infamous cleaning habits and hygiene standards, she figured maybe the hay on her slack was a turn-off to him.

As Levi walked away, Hange jumped from the side and grabbed him by his arm pulling him to the wall. "Levi, what are you doing?" Hange glided over and inquired to him in a hushed deep voice.

"I--- I got nervous...?" Levi answered, his heart was pounding. His eyes showed signs of regret and anxiety, then he continued, "She loves horses **_AND_** she smells great. She's the perfect woman!" Hange pinched the bridge of her nose, suppressing the incoming laughter from seeing a side of Levi she never witnessed before.

"My dear Levi. You must really like this girl for you to act like this," Hange replied calmly. "Listen, approach her again and invite her for tea, somewhere less noisy. In your office perhaps?"

Both of them looked back to Sophie who was pouting and muttering to herself, looking confused. Hange assumed she was probably in distress figuring out what had happened, _maybe they'd be perfect for each other in their own way_ , she thought. Placing her hand on Levi's shoulder Hange leaned down and whispered to his ear, "This is for you Levi."

Impulsively, Hange took a bowl of peanuts from the nearby table and started to throw it to a clueless Sophie, aiming for her back. A naïve Sophie slowly turned around to find Hange, the commander of Survey Corps, throwing peanuts to her back.

"Sorry! I was aiming for the---" Hange paused looking for an excuse but gave up halfway. "The--- Floor! Yes, I was aiming for the floor. But yeah, now that I have your full attention--- Levi." Hange nudged forward a nervous Levi to approach her, Sophie merely stared back at him concerned, her eyes widen. Sophie wondered if she was in trouble.

"Yeah Hange was--- She was trying to aim for the---" Levi tried to explain, English suddenly a second language for him. With one big breath he blurted out the words, "Would you like to go somewhere quiet and have tea?" Sophie looked to him, her face bright red, her wide round eyes flitted back and forth.

"Yes, I'd like that." she glanced to the floor then back to his gaze. Levi could smell the light-fruity sweetness of her breath. "But only if you let me make you Marleyan tea."

Levi nodded and stepped a few steps back, but before doing so leaned back to Sophie. "Sure, meet me at my office quarters. Second floor, turn left, first door to the right," he said and took off.


	3. Sorry

Sophie was unsure if it was the general anxiety of being in the presence of someone she was attracted to, or the specific anxiety of actually conversing with Humanity's Strongest Soldier that is Levi Ackerman, but for some reason, she felt her heart pounding as she brewed the Marleyan tea. She set the tea set carefully on the tray, adjusting the angles of the teacups and the teapot for the millionth time ensuring it was exactly how she thought Levi would want it. Noticing the anxiety practically dripping from her forehead a cheerful voice teased her from across the kitchen counter, "Hey Shrimpy!"

Noticing the anxiety practically dripping from her forehead a cheerful voice teased her from across the kitchen counter, "Hey Shrimpy!"

She rolled her eyes turning to the familiar voice, a smiling amused Niccolo smirking towards her. Dodging between the other kitchen staff, he stopped next to her, "Having tea with a Paradis Devil is making you all weak in the knees ay?" Sophie rolled her eyes, averting her gaze back to the tray, repeatedly tapping the edge of the tray as if she was sending a distress signal in Morse code.

Both Sophie and Niccolo were never close back in the Marleyan army but now that they work together in Yelena's squad, they were indeed two peas in a pod. His pet name for her was "Shrimpy" due to her petite short stature. Breathing a huge, fake sigh of relief, Niccolo continued to tease her, "Shrimpy, you should let him put his slippery tadpole inside of you."

Sophie groaned, shoving Niccolo by the shoulder as she walked to the sink to wash her hands with soap, hoping to cleanse herself from any dirt or smell. She knew Levi's reputation as a Clean Enthusiast and would not want to leave a bad impression on him in terms of her personal hygiene.

"Niccolo, can I be real with you, can I just be honest with you?" Sophie blurted out, looking to her friend.

Taken aback by the sudden shift in her tone, Niccolo quickly replied, "Okay?"

Dramatically Sophie walked to him, placed one palm to her waist and another beside the tray, then looked Niccolo straight in the eye and announced with a lustful expression, "I want Captain Levi to place me on my knees, spit in my mouth and slap me on my forehead with his fucking dick! I don't care how big, how small, how medium it is—- I need him to envelop me in all his LEVI-ness."

Niccolo nearly tripped at the filth coming out of the supposedly innocent lips of Sophie

Niccolo nearly tripped at the filth coming out of the supposedly innocent lips of Sophie. He sat down on a nearby stool, his elbows on his knees, his head bowed, and palms against his forehead. His voice distinct and very annoyed, he uttered, "I'm going to get Onkyankopon to baptize you in the sea this weekend. The Paradis Devil got you good huh?" Sophie smiled sheepishly to her friend, feeling gratified at his reaction, but she was glad to get it off her chest. The curiosity she felt of the mysterious Ackerman had drove her crazy ever since she landed on the island and the sudden invitation for tea was perfect for her to get to know the Captain better.

Walking timidly with the tray on her hand, the hallways of the office quarters were strangely deserted. In the rarified atmosphere of the office floor it was always quiet, but on that day it felt spooky. No voices or footsteps echoed off the stone walls. Due to the eerie atmosphere, Sophie found herself sprinting down the hallways muttering repeatedly to herself the map to Levi's office, "Second floor, turn left, first door to the right."

When she arrived in front of his door, she exhaled a long breath to calm her nerves, and with the heavy tray barely balanced in one hand, she knocked on the door carefully with three sturdy knocks. She heard footsteps and his sultry deep voice calling out to her, "Come in."

Before she could reach for the knob, the door opened and she was not ready. The door swung inwards and she was instantly thrown off balance with the heavy tray on the other hand. Falling through the doorway in a great splash of tea, she landed on the hard floor with the loud cracking of the teapots, now broken. Sprawled on her stomach, her white button-down top soaking in the brew of tea, Sophie hovered her head upwards to see a part of polished black shoe inches from her head. A man's shoe, its toe as poised as if ready to kick her in the face for what had transpired.

She saw herself reflected in the dark shine of the shoe: her tea-drenched bangs swinging by her forehead, her cheeks flushed and her mouth hanging slack as she panted on the floor, beyond embarrassed at what had transpired. Her chest heaving. The fall had drenched her white button-up blouse, leaving the linen sticking to the curvature of her body. Thank goodness for the military's linen-cotton undergarments for the female cadets.

Biting her lips and noticing the mess she made, Sophie forced herself to follow the black shoe up to the ankles sheathed in white socks that are now stained with tea. Beyond was the hem of a trouser cuff, and her gaze followed the sharp crease of his black pants up toward his knee. Meticulous tailoring and cut revealed the contour of his powerful thigh from where the trouser inseam led her eyes to his bulge and she felt hot wetness between her and the floor.

Sophie bit her lips wallowing on the mess she made on the Captain's office floor. Even in the buffed, murky leather of the shoe, Sophie could see the blush of embarrassment on her cheeks deepen. She gulped. Levi's voice broke the trancelike spell, pleasant and bemused he said, "Are you okay?"

Sophie forced herself to look up through the veil of her long, fluttering eyelashes. A face loomed, looking at her endearingly. Those were the features she saw so often in their meetings and at the mess halls. His steely eyes were grey; his forehead was fringed by his raven-black hair. His expression was mild, monotonous at what had transpired.

Still sprawled on the floor, Sophie gasped as she made eye-contact with Levi. "I'm sorry!" she squeaked. "I did not mean to---"

"It's fine," Levi said monotonously, his gaze never breaking from her.

Slowly spreading her fingers against the floor, she tried to push herself up but remembered how the hot liquid would make her white blouse reveal more than she wanted in front of the Captain. The dark-steely grey eyes watching her were as focused and unblinking, they were measuring and recording every inch of her body.

"Let me help you up," the raven-haired man insisted, reaching down to her. Sophie timidly nodded, his fingers closed around her own were surprisingly cold. An amazing strength lifted her as his lips, those lips she's always dreamt of kissing, inches from her face said, "I'll clean up the mess, you should freshen up in the bathroom." Levi pointed to the door of his bed chambers which was connected to the office room, Sophie shuddered at the thought of being in his private quarters.

She merely nodded too embarrassed for words, her arms folded across her chest as she headed to the bathroom. She looked herself to the mirror mortified at how indecent she looked, her soaked white button-up top revealing the curvature of her cleavage, her ponytail messy and drenched of tea.

A quick knock was heard on the door and it caught Sophie off-guard, she jerked back in shock. Levi's deep voice was heard as he slid to open the bathroom door slightly, "Here's a towel and a set of my clothes, I'm sure you'd fit into my size." Sophie hummed awkwardly acknowledging him and he timidly placed the items on the bathroom counter, careful not to look where she stood.

When the bathroom door closed, Sophie looked back to the mirror, told herself to get herself together, and slapped her cheek for assurance. She cleaned herself up, dried herself, and slid into the clothes he had given. The blue button-up blouse and black slack smelt fresh and it fitted loosely to her body. Muttering words of encouragement to herself, she stepped out the door to see the Captain seated on a lounge armchair upholstered in black leather.

While Levi was disappointed that his romantic high tea meeting did not transpire as planned, he did get more than he bargained for witnessing her curvature under her soaked wet blouse from the fall. As Sophie walked to him in his own change of clothes, it had only increased his desire for her. She glanced quickly at the mess she made earlier by the door but she found the floor was clean as if the accident she committed never occurred.

Stopping inches from each other Sophie broke the silence, "I'm really sorry Levi, I mean Captain Levi. I genuinely---"

"Come join me on the rooftop?" Levi interrupted her, one hand lifted a bottle of wine, and the other held out two wine glasses.

"Wine under the moonlight?" Sophie giggled nervous, dazed in the sheer abruptness of how the night is unfolding. Levi looked back at her blankly, unsure what to say. He figured maybe with a bit of alcohol the awkwardness between them would subside and they'd be able to have a conversation.

"I mean sure, I'd like that." Sophie pursed her lips and exhaled slowly.

As they walked together to the door, Sophie smiled timidly at him, looking him in the eye, begging internally for him to stop her stride. Levi felt the intensity in her gaze and was tempted, he wanted to keep the door shut, threw her body against it, and ravaged her right there and then but he held himself back. He was a gentleman after all.


	4. Orpheus & Eurydice~

Years in Survey Corps caused every nook and cranny of the building to have bittersweet memories, it was the same rooftop area that Levi used to loiter at night with both Farlan and Isabel when they first joined the Survey Corps. On that night beneath the full moon, Sophie cast a shadow and he could see the curve from her waist to her hips as she sat on the edge of the building stone deck. Levi unscrewed the cork of the wine bottle, poured to each of the glass wine, and handed a glass to her.

Lifting his glass, he started, "So what do you do for fun Sophie?" He took a minor sip, the stinging syrup left him unimpressed but he swallowed regardless.

"I like to read about Greek mythologies---" Sophie's voice and even the expression on her face had grown more relaxed and tranquil after the first sip. 

Levi shook his head sideways, "Greek mythologies?"

Sophie took a quick sip of her wine, and with every sip, the tension between them slowly melted

Sophie took a quick sip of her wine, and with every sip, the tension between them slowly melted. She became enthusiastic as she discussed a chapter of a book she was reading at the time, "Ovid, Metamorphoses, Book 10, Orpheus & Eurydice". Levi listened intently, trying to make sense of the Greek gods and their underworld which was a foreign concept to him.

Sophie sat bolt straight and folded her legs beneath her. She smiled and continued, "Hence with the early demise of his wife, Orpheus went down to the underworld to find his wife."

"But she died?" Levi interjected, his eyebrows furrowed making sense of the situation.

"Well, yeah--- But Orpheus's retelling on the story of his ill-fated wife and the love they had for each other made Hades burst into tears. So Hades revives Eurydice, allowing her to reunite with her husband, but under one condition..." Sophie paused dramatically, taking another sip of the wine. "A condition in that Orpheus would walk ahead first and not look back to his wife until they are both out of the underworld."

Levi chuckled softly, amused at her enthusiasm.

"But here's the twist, as both Orpheus and Eurydice neared the surface, approaching the exit, he feared he was losing Eurydice, and in his impatience to see her, Orpheus looked back and poor Eurydice fell back to the underworld until she disappeared completely, again." She recited, slowly raising the wine glass to her lips.

Levi gave her a baffled look. "I disagree, Orpheus did not look back due to the fear of losing her. That's not a reason. He was told not to do that by Hades," he pointed out, equally immersed in the story.

"Well I mean he was madly in love, how could he resist." Sophie insisted.

"Well perhaps he made a choice," Levi added.

"What do you mean?" Sophie leaned in closer to him, intrigued.

"He chooses the memory of her, that's why he turned. Knowing that if he turned around, Eurydice would remain in the underworld and Orpheus would be left with an unspoiled memory of her. He chose the memory of Eurydice that would remain pure, the curve of her nose and the sound of her laughter." Levi paused, his gaze fixed to meet Sophie's. "In a way, if Orpheus looks back, he would retain the perfection of her memory. And by choosing to keep Eurydice in the underworld, Orpheus knows deep down they will meet again after he dies. You could say that in choosing to look back, he is acknowledging that he could not bear to lose her again. That the next time they meet, it will be in the eternal afterlife where they will never again be parted." Levi finished with a quick swig of the wine.

Sophie's lips curled into a wry grin, Levi was a man of few words and yet that night he spoke a lot, sharing eloquently of his interpretation of what Orpheus did. Their conversation continued throughout the night and she slowly noticed his deep voice mingled with the silence of the night. She did not hear his words as much as the cadence and tone of his voice. Levi would pause and look to her and he felt warm but not because he felt drunk, but because he felt full and content just being in her presence. Midway through the night, Sophie found herself placing her hand on his thigh, her palm flat and soft against his pants and her index finger making drunken circles that crept toward the inside of his thigh. He swallowed nervously, a soft wind fluttered her hair against her cheek beneath the starry sky, and they stayed silent just listening to each other's rhythmic breathing.

"You're indeed full of surprises Levi," Sophie giggled, her head tilted to the side. Levi breathed in, he found Sophie to be endearing as she stated that about him, but refuse to reflect it in his face. He gazed back to her, to draw the moment for as long as he could because as good as kissing feels, the anticipation of kissing felt good as well.

A strange look crossed his usually stoic face 

A strange look crossed his usually stoic face. It was an expression Sophie had never seen, confusion mixed with another emotion. Possibly love. The cold wind of the night tousled his raven bangs. Levi was never great with words, he'd always been a man of few words. He figured when it came to expressing his affection, action would speak better than words and at the moment he could feel his whole body stiffened.

But Levi rallied his courage and leaned in slowly, her lips puckered and she leaned close as well, their head tilted to the side and they were kissing. Their tongues dancing back and forth in each other's mouth, their mouths intertwined and he felt her fingers tracing the line of his jaw. He felt her body leaning to his, her back arched fluidly next to his.

Levi pulled away all of a sudden looking back to her, annoyed she pushed her face forward signaling that she wanted more and Levi merely snickered at her reaction. He whispered tucking a loose strand of her hair away from her lips, "What are we doing Sophie?"

"I—Don't know. But I want more," Sophie answered almost immediately, looking to him longingly, her gaze full of lust. Levi pulled her closer into his arms, his sudden swift action taking her by surprise. He ran his fingers around the nape of her neck, his fingers crawled to her hair, and he gently pushed, enough to force her to lean closer, their faces millimeters from each other. He gazed down to her, his gaze dropped back and forth from her eyes to her lips. He then leaned down slowly and kissed her lips gently, but then he sucked at her lower lip.

"Levi---" Sophie murmured against his mouth, her words burned flames in his blood. Levi pulled away again, looking down to her drowsy set of eyes in between her fluttering eyelashes. She leaned in patiently looking up to him, her arms tightly wrapped around his waist. A moment passed and her lips pecked him tenderly by his chin. Levi never thought he'd be with a girl actually shorter than him, not that height was an issue as he never even thought about being with someone at all. Caring about someone did not align with the nature of his job, of not knowing if he'll live the next day when he goes on to expeditions.

Now that there are no more expeditions and with the reveal of what lies beyond the wall and the Marleyans, he was unsure if there was a future he could look forward to. Moreover, with another person, a Marleyan like Sophie. What if she's a honeypot Levi, working for Zeke and to get you drunk in her love and retrieve confidential information. His thought once lingered, and it always dangled there at the back of his head, even in that moment as they leaned against each other. Sophie looking back at him, drowsy, full of love.

"I wanna fuck you," she whispered to him, clearly intoxicated

"I wanna fuck you," she whispered to him, clearly intoxicated. Levi pursed his lips suppressing his laughter at how drunk she was. She continued, "Want to come to my place?" Levi smirked, amused at her antics. Annoyed she pulled him in for another kiss, his mouth straining to keep up with her. Seconds in Sophie broke off the kiss, placed her head on his chest, and slowly she went limp as he held her in his arms. She had fallen asleep instantly in his arms.

Thinking of his options, Levi decided to bring her back to his living quarters. He carried her drunken mumbling figure to lay down on his bed, his barely used bed. Levi never slept on the bed, he had always preferred to sleep on his armchair. But that night he did, lying next to her, cautiously, keeping a distance as their bodies faced each other. Taking every inch of her features in, he wondered what her true intentions are.

Finding her irresistible lying next to him, Levi slid his finger to Sophie's arm and traced a line from her elbow up to her wrist, as if begging her to wake up from her slumber. She murmured sleepily, "Stop..." spontaneously lacing her fingers with his and squeezed.

"Sorry---" Levi blurted, a whisper. Sophie stayed silent, rolled over his body to be on top and started to kiss him. In the darkness, Levi tried his best to kiss her back but seconds in Sophie picked herself up, her legs settled between his stomach, her palms propped on his chest.

"That was my chin you were snogging," she finally said giggling.

"Oh I thought you would like a bit of chin action," Levi replied trying to act as if it was intentional.

"You're funny," she giggled, leaning down to kiss him again. They stayed intertwined together, her small waist wrapped around his arms, his head slightly tilted to accommodate her mouth enveloping his with such passion he could feel her breasts against his chest and her legs straddling him.

Finally, Levi pushed her off of him gently and told her, "Lie down." He stopped lingering for more kisses but instead covered her under the covers, she winced slightly but did as she was told, staring at him. He leaned up on one elbow staring at her.

"You should go to sleep," he muttered, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"You should go to sleep," he muttered, wrapping his arms around her waist 

"But I want to---" Sophie mumbled half-asleep, her lid slowly closing.

"Sleep," he whispered, and Sophie could feel his nose in her hair as he inhaled deeply. And before she could reply to him she was fast asleep.


End file.
